It was on one summer's morning,
Being in the month of May,
Down by a flow'ry garden
I carelessly did stray;
I overheard a damsel
in sorrow to complain,
All for her absent lover
that plough'd the raging main.

I boldly stepp-ed up to her
And put her in surprise.
I'll own she did not know me
My being in disguise;
Said I, "My charming creature,
My joy and heart's delight
How far do you go a-travelling
This dark and rainy night?"

"My way, kind sir, to the Cloddy Banks
If you please to show;
Pity a poor girl distracted,
For there I have to go;
I am in search of a young man,
And Johnny is his name,
All on the Banks of Cloddy
I'm told he does remain."

"If my Johnny was with me this night,
He would keep me from all harm,
But he's in the field of battle
All in his uniform;
He's in the field of battle,
His foes for to destroy,
Like the roaring king of honour
Fought in the Wars of Troy."

"O it's six long weeks and better,
Since your true love left this shore;
In crossing the wild ocean,
Where foaming billows roar,
In crossing the wide ocean,
For honour and for gain,
I am told his ship was wreck-ed
All on the coast of Spain."

O in hearing of this dreadful news,
It put her in despair,
In wringing of her tender hands
And a tearing out her hair;
"now since he's gone and left me,
No other man I'll take,
All in some lonesome valley
I will wander for his sake."

O his heart was fill'd with joy that night,
He could no longer stand;
He fell into her arms,
Saying, "Betsy, I'm that man;
I am that faithful young man,
Whom once you thought was slain,
Now since we've met on Cloddy Banks,
We'll never part again."

abc | midi | pdf

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Source: The Life of a Man, EFDS, 1970

Notes:
Collected from George (Pop) Maynard, Copthorne, Surrey 1959 by Ken Stubbs

Banks of Claudy, The [Laws N40]

DESCRIPTION: The singer meets a girl on the banks of Claudy. She is seeking her lover. He tells her Johnny is false, she rejects this. He tells her Johnny is shipwrecked; she is distressed. He tells her he is Johnny. She rejoices

AUTHOR: unknown

KEYWORDS: separation reunion trick love

FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,SE,So) Canada(Mar) Britain(Scotland) Australia Ireland

REFERENCES (9 citations):

Laws N40, "The Banks of Claudy"

Randolph 47, "The Banks of Cloddy" (2 texts, 1 tune)

Eddy 55, "The Banks of Claudie" (1 text, 1 tune)

Meredith/Anderson, pp. 166-167, "The Banks of Claudy" (1 text, 1 tune)

SHenry H5+H693, p. 313, "The Banks of Claudy" (1 text, 1 tune)

LPound-ABS, 30, pp., "The Lover's Return" (1 text)

JHCox 321, "The Banks of Claudie" (1 text plus mention of 1 more)

Ord, p. 130, "The Banks of Claudy" (1 text)

DT 465, BCLAUDIE CLAUDYBK

RECORDINGS:

Bob & Ron Copper, "Claudy Banks" (on LastDays)

George Maynard, "The Banks of Claudy" (on Maynard1)

CROSS-REFERENCES:

cf. "John (George) Riley (I)" [Laws N36] and references there

ALTERNATE TITLES:

Claudy Banks


Broadside versions at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads are:

The banks of Claudy ("As I roved out one morning all in the monh [sic] of May ...")
2806 c.15(164)
Printer: Birmingham, W. (Dublin)
Date: c.1867
Note: Slip. The same setting of type appears in a sheet of three ballads; see 2806 b.9(257) and 2806 b.9(275). See Peter Carnell (1979): F26(D) for imprint.

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's morning all in the month of May ...")
Harding B 11(1847)
Printers: Catnach, J. (London); Marshall, W. (Bristol)
Date: between 1813 and 1838
Imprint: J. Catnach, Printer, 2, Monmouth-Court, 7 Dials. Sold by W. Marshall, Bristol

The banks of Cludy [sic] ("Twas one summer's morning, all in the month of May ...")
Harding B 16(22c)
Printer: Pitts, J. (London)
Date: between 1819 and 1844
Imprint: Pitts, Printer, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials
Note: Slip. Part of a sheet of three; see Harding B 11(266).

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's morning all in the month of May ...")
Harding B 11(2261)
Printer: Pratt, W. (Birmingham)
Date: c.1850
Imprint: William Pratt, Printer, 82, Digbeth Birmingham

The banks of Claudy ("As I roved out one morning all in the monh [sic] of May ...")
2806 b.9(257)
Printer: Birmingham, W. (Dublin)
Date: c.1867

The banks of Claudy ("As I roved out one morning all in the monh [sic] of May ...")
2806 b.9(275)
Harding B 19(110)
Printer: Birmingham, W. (Dublin)
Date: c.1867
Note: See Carnell (1979): F26 for imprint

The banks of Cludy [sic] ("T'was one summer's morning, all in the month of May ...")
Harding B 11(266)
Printer: Pitts, J. (London)
Date: between 1819 and 1844
Imprint: Pitts, Printer, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials

The banks of Claudy ("As I walked out one evening clear, all in the month of May ...")
2806 c.14(91)
Printer: McIntosh, R. (Glasgow)
Date: between 1849 and 1889
Imprint: R. M'Intosh, Printer

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's morning all in the month of May ...")
Firth b.26(281)
Harding B 11(326)
Johnson Ballads 1162
Printer: Such, H. (London)
Date: between 1863 and 1885
Imprint: London: H. Such, Printer & Publisher 177, Union-st., Boro', S.E.

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's evening all in the month of May ...")
2806 c.18(12)
Printer: Pitts, J. (London)
Date: between 1819 and 1844
Imprint: Pitts Printer and Toy warehouse, 6, Great st. Andrew street 7 dials
Note: Slip

Banks of Claudy ("It was one summer's morning, in the pleasant month of May ...")
2806 c.17(15)
Printer: Swindells (Manchester)
Date: between 1796 and 1853
Imprint: Swindells, Printer
Note: Slip. Originally a sheet with 2806 c.17(126).

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summers morning all in the month of May ...")
Harding B 18(24)
Printer: De Marsan, H. (New York, N.Y.)
Date: c.1860
Imprint: H. De Marsan, Publisher, 54 Chatham Street, New-York
Note: Border: Comic heads.

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's morning, all in the month of May ...")
Firth b.25(188)
Harding B 11(4241)
Printer: Disley, H. (London)
Date: between 1860 and 1883
Imprint: H. Disley, Printer, 57, High-street, St. Giles

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's morning, all in the month of May ...")
Harding B 11(4360b) [no link given]
Printer: Fortey, W.S. (London)
Date: between 1858 and 1885
Imprint: [London: Printed at the "Catnach Press," by W.]S. Fortey, Monmouth Court, Bloomsbury
Note: Slip. Part of a sheet of two ballads; see Harding B 11(4163).

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's morning, all in the month of May ...")
Firth b.25(296)
Harding B 11(4163)
Printer: Fortey, W.S. (London)
Date: between 1858 and 1885
Imprint: London; Printed at the "Catnach Press" by W.S. Fortey, Monmouth court, Bloomsbury

The banks of Claudy ("It was on a summer's evening all in the month of May ...")
2806 c.13(191) [link to enlarged image broken]
Printer: Harkness, J. (Preston)
Date: between 1840 and 1866
Note: 2806 c.13(309) is a variant edition.



Roud: 266 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws: N40
Child:

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Related Songs:  Midst of Night (thematic)